Fermi surface topology of the two-dimensional Kondo lattice model: a dynamical cluster approximation approach

TL;DR

This study uses dynamical cluster approximation with quantum Monte Carlo to explore the Fermi surface evolution in the 2D Kondo lattice model, revealing three distinct topologies and a continuous magnetic transition.

Contribution

It introduces a cluster implementation that captures spontaneous antiferromagnetic symmetry breaking and tracks Fermi surface changes across magnetic phases.

Findings

Identifies three distinct Fermi surface topologies.

Shows a continuous transition between paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases.

Demonstrates Kondo screening persists through the magnetic transition.

Abstract

We report the results of extensive dynamical cluster approximation calculations, based on a quantum Monte Carlo solver, for the two-dimensional Kondo lattice model. Our particular cluster implementation renders possible the simulation of spontaneous antiferromagnetic symmetry breaking. By explicitly computing the single-particle spectral function both in the paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases, we follow the evolution of the Fermi surface across this magnetic transition. The results, computed for clusters up to 16 orbitals, show clear evidence for the existence of three distinct Fermi surface topologies. The transition from the paramagnetic metallic phase to the antiferromagnetic metal is continuous; Kondo screening does not break down and we observe a back-folding of the paramagnetic heavy fermion band. Within the antiferromagnetic phase and when the ordered moment becomes large the Fermi surface evolves to one which is adiabatically connected to a Fermi surface where the local moments are frozen in an antiferromagnetic order.